Butter-cutting machine.



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' Patented Mar. I8, l|902. G. L. SMITH.

BUTTER CUTTING MACHINE.

(No Model.)

(Application iled May 11, 1901,)

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No. 695ml. Patented Mar. ls, 1902..1

. G. L. SMITH. Y

BUTTER cums MACHINE. v

(Application Ied May 11, 1901.)

(No Model.) 2'Sheets-Sheet 2.

WWW/awo awww/f mam/J UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE L. SMITH, OF GOOD GROUND, NEIV YORK.

.BUTTER-CUTTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION formi-ng partei' Letters Patent No. 695,501, dated March 18, 1902.

Application iiled May 11,1901- Serial No. 59,777. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE L. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Good Ground, in the county of Suffolk and State of New York, have invented new and useful Imp provements in Butter-Cutting Machines, of

which the following isa'specification.

My invention relates to improvements in butter-cutting machines, and pertains to lan apparatus which is adapted for cutting tubs of butter or material of a like nature into blocks orpackages,allof whichwill be fullydescribed hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in` the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of lmy invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional View. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of the movable cutting plate or frame. Fig. 5 is a plan View of the cutting-plate. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the apron-roller. Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional View of the primary cutting-knives.

Referring now to the drawings, l indicates a longitudinal base plate or frame with vsupporting-legs.

2 is a vertical frame consisting of four standards, the upper ends of'which are joined by a plate 3. i

4 isa'transverse opening corresponding in size with the vertical frame 2, and provided with shoulders 5, upon which rests the frame 2.

In thelower portion of the standards 6 and 7 I provide vertical grooves or slots in which are placed three primary cutting-knives 8. The number of knives or the space between them can be readilyadjusted by means of thumb-screws, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 7, thus cutting the slices or layers of any desired thickness.l

Within the frame2 I provide a movable cutting-frame,c0nsisting of two portions 9 and 10, which are rigidly connected by cornerposts 11. In the center of the upper portion or plate I connect an upwardly-extending screw-threaded rodr12. The lower portion orY cutting-plate consists of four bars 13 13, each bar havinga longitudinal groove or slot, as illustrated in Figs.v 4 and 5. The cuttingknives 15, extending from the bars 13, can be adjusted laterally by releasing the thumbscrew with which each knife is provided for the purpose of regulating the size of the blocks on sections ofbutter.

In the center of the plate 3 I provide a bearing-plate 16, through which passes the screw-4 .threaded rod 12 and forms a bearing for a cog-wheel 17, which has a threaded lopening' to receive the rod 12. Journaled in afthrust bearing-plate 18 is ashaft carryingon its outer end a hand-wheel and on its inner end a cog-wheel which engages the ycog 17,`thus forming a bevel-gear for controllingthe ver tical movement of the inner frame.

Pivoted between the rear standards is a lplate 19, which passes between the standards vtending arm 24. The weight of the rod 25 serves to hold the bail on a center, thus locking the plate 19 against upward movement until the knives 15 have passed through the butter, when the upper section of the inner frame will trip the inwardly-extending arm of the rod 25, thus raising the bail 22 and al'- lowing the plate 19 to be swung upward by the lower section of the cutting-frame, so that the butter can be easily taken out on the slide or plate 27. It will be seentha't the plate 19 serves the same purpose with regard tog the upper layer of butter as the upper layer serves to the layer immediatelybelow it, in that the knives l5 pass through the top layer, cutting the edges ofeachblock or section smooth and even, whereas in the absenc'eof theresistance of the plate 19 the knives would raise the edges of the upper sections, leaving them ragged and necessitating their being worked over with a paddle. The under surface of plate 19 is provided with a dependingportion 21, which is adapted to registerwiththe open-l ing in the cutting-frame and'is preferably, although not necessarily, provided with parallel grooves corresponding with the knives 15. In the recess 4 I provide a movable slide 27, having an upwardlyextending portion IooA corresponding in size with the opening under the knives in the movable cutting-frame and parallel grooves for receiving the knives 15.

The numeral 28 indicates a vertical pressure-plate havinga concave face and two laterally-extending arms 29 and 30. Rigidly attached to the back of the pressure-plate 2S is a bearing-plate adapted to receive the head of a longitudinal screw threaded rod 32, which is operated by a hand wheel 33. Screwed to the top of blocks 3i and 35 are two plates with screw-threaded openings, forming a thrust-bearing for the rod 32.

Extending across the opposite end of the table I provide a movable frame 36, in which is journaled a roller 37. Attached to the roller 37 is one end of an apron 38, made of rubber or like material.- The roller is reu volved by a hand-wheel 39.

The numeral 40 indicates a longitudinal recess which extends the entire length of the table and is adapted to receive a guide-bar 41, which connects the laterally-extending arm 29 of the pressure-plate with one end of the frame 36, the other end of the rollerframe 36 being1 connected with the arm 30 of the pressure-plate bya U-shaped bail 42. It will be seen that the longitudinal movement of the frame 36 is controlled by and is identical with the movement of the pressure-plate 28 for the purpose of keeping the apron stretched tight while the butter is being forced forward, thus preventing the apron from rolling or folding in front of the butter.

In operating my machine the apron is unrolled from the roller 37, passed by hand between the standards of the vertical frame up to or under the lower edge of the pressureplate 2S, the said plate being preferably formed high enough to permit the apron to be passed under. The movable cutting-frame being lowered, as shown in Fig. 1, the apron will be between the knives l5 and thebutter as it enters the vertical frame and prevents the knives from scraping the butter. The butter 43 to be cut is placed on the table, as shown in Fig. 2. As the pressure-plate is carried forward by turning the hand-wheel 83 the butter is forced against the primary knives 8, cutting it into horizontal slices. Theapron, which prevents the butter from scraping against the knives 15, is then withdrawn by winding it around lthe roller 37,

thus depositing the butter on the receivingplate 27 which serves to support it while being out by the knives 15. The vertical cutting-frame is then raised by operating the hand-wheel 39, causing the longitudinal cut ting-knives 15 to out the butter into blocks. The U -shaped bail 22 serves to hold the plate 19 against the butter until the knives have passed through the last layer or slice, when the upper portion of the inner frame will trip the arm of the bar 25, which allows the plate 19 to be raised by the lower section of the inner frame. The butter can then be easily taken out on the slide 27.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- l. In a butter-cutting machine, a supporting-table a pressure-plate and apron-roller longitudinally movable thereon, a vertical frame provided with adjustable primary cutting-knives, a vertically movable cuttingframe, means for operating the same, a pivoted plate for resisting the upward pressure of the butter and means for releasing the plate before the frame reaches the limit of its upward movement, substantially as described.

2. In a butter-cutting machine a supporting-table a pressure-plate adapted to force the butter through primary cutting-knives, an apron, a roller for withdrawing the same, rigid connections between the roller and pressure-plate, a vertical frame carrying a bevelgear engaging the screw-threaded rod 12, for controlling the vertical movement of the inner frame, a hand-wheel for operating the said gear, horizontal adjustable cuttingknives adapted to cut the butter into blocks or squares, a pivoted plate, a U -shaped bail holding the said plate normally down, the upwardly-extending rod 25 connected with the U-shaped bail and adapted to be tripped by the inner frame in its upward movement, a removable or sliding plate for receiving the butter after it hasbeen cut into blocks, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE L. SMITH.

Vitnesses:

J. I. HAND, J. C. KING.

IOO 

